Optical modulators

ABSTRACT

An optoelectronic device. The optoelectronic device operable to provide a PAM-N modulated output, the device comprising: M optical modulators, M being an integer greater than 1, the M optical modulators being arranged in a cascade, the device being configured to operate in N distinct transmittance states, as a PAM-N modulator, wherein, in each transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, each of the M optical modulators has applied to it a respective control voltage equal to one of: a first voltage or a second voltage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/435,004, filed Dec. 15, 2016, entitled “ELECTRO-OPTIC MODULATORS”, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an optoelectronic device and method of operating such a device. It particularly relates to devices within the field of silicon photonics and to an optoelectronic device comprising a first optical modulator and a second optical modulator.

BACKGROUND

Pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM) is an example modulation format where information comprising a message is encoded in the amplitude of a series of pulses comprising the signal. In PAM-4 modulation, 2² (4) discrete pulse amplitudes are available, which are generally equally spaced (i.e., equally spaced in optical power, for optical data transmission). For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a PAM-4 modulation scheme enables pulses to be modulated into one of four discrete amplitudes: [0,0], [0,1], [1,0], or [1,1]. Generally adjacent amplitudes are separated by ⅓ of the largest amplitude (the so called largest bit value).

SUMMARY

At their broadest, embodiments of the invention provide PAM modulation using optoelectronic devices including optical modulators, through provision of two or more optical modulators each operable in a respective transmittance state.

Therefore, in a first aspect, embodiments of the invention provide an optoelectronic device operable to provide a PAM-N modulated output, the device comprising:

M optical modulators, M being an integer greater than 1, the M optical modulators being arranged in a cascade,

the device being configured to operate in N distinct transmittance states, as a PAM-N modulator,

wherein, in each transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, each of the M optical modulators has applied to it a respective control voltage equal to one of:

-   -   a first voltage or     -   a second voltage.

In a second aspect, embodiments of the invention provide an optoelectronic device operable to provide a PAM-N modulated output, the device comprising:

M optical modulators, M being an integer greater than 1, the M optical modulators being arranged in a cascade,

the device being configured to operate in N distinct transmittance states, as a PAM-N modulator,

wherein, in each transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, each of the M optical modulators has applied to it a respective control voltage equal to one of k different control voltages, wherein k is an integer greater than 1 and less than 1.

A first optical modulator and a second optical modulator are operable to provide distinct transmittance states (also referred to as modulated outputs). Therefore, the device may allow at least three distinct modulated outputs corresponding to: modulation by the first modulator only, modulation by the second modulator only, modulation by the first and second modulators. This can reduce the requirement for complex drivers to implement PAM-N modulation. N may typically take any value greater than or equal to 4; generally N obeys the equation N=2^(x), where x{Z} (i.e. is within the set of real integers). For example, N may take values of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, etc.

There is disclosed a method of operating an optoelectronic device to provide a PAM-N modulated signal having the steps of:

receiving an electromagnetic wave at a first optical modulator, the first optical modulator being operable to produce a first modulated output;

receiving an electromagnetic wave at a second optical modulator, the second optical modulator being operable to produce a second modulated output which is different to the first modulated output; and

independently operating the first optical modulator and the second optical modulators such that the optoelectronic device is operable to produce three distinct modulated outputs as well as an unmodulated output.

Optional features of embodiments of the invention will now be set out. These are applicable singly or in any combination with any aspect of the invention.

In some embodiments, M=N−1. For example, if PAM-4 modulation was desired, M=4-1=3, and so three optical modulators may be used.

In some embodiments, N=4; M=3; the first voltage is between 0 V and 0.2 V; and the second voltage is between 1.8 V and 2.0 V.

The optical modulators may modulate various properties of an electromagnetic wave for example: amplitude, phase, or polarisation. Typically, the optical modulators may be electro-absorption modulators, and so modulate the amplitude.

The optical modulators are in a cascade arrangement. As such, each of the optical modulators in the cascade may output electromagnetic waves into an adjacent modulator in the cascade (with the exception of the last modulator, which will output electromagnetic waves into the output waveguide). In some examples, all of the optical modulators may be in a cascade arrangement.

The device may further comprise an intermediate waveguide, disposed between a first optical modulator of the M optical modulators and a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators, and operable to convey electromagnetic waves from the first optical modulator to the second optical modulator. The intermediate waveguide may have a length of between 0.5 μm and 50 μm. A first interface between the first optical modulator and the intermediate waveguide may be at a first angle relative to a guiding direction of the intermediate waveguide, and a second interface between the second optical modulator and the intermediate waveguide may be at an opposite angle to the first angle, the first angle and opposite angle may not be right angles. By opposite, it may be meant that the opposite angle has an equal magnitude to the first angle but in an opposite sense. For example, if the first angle was 5° clockwise, the opposite angle may be 5° anti-clockwise (or, said another way, 355° clockwise). This may be represented via a minus sign, such that the first angle=5° and the opposite angle=−5°.

The optical modulators may be modulating sections of a single device i.e. regions of the device which may independently modulate an electromagnetic wave being transmitted through the device. For example, the optical modulators may be ridge waveguides in an optically active region.

A first optical modulator of the M optical modulators may have a first doped region having a first doping polarity; a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators may have a second doped region having a second doping polarity; the first doped region may be immediately adjacent to the second doped region; and the first doping polarity may be opposite to the second doping polarity.

One of the M optical modulators may have a first length along which received electromagnetic waves will travel of between 5 μm and 50 μm, and another optical modulator of the M optical modulators may have a second length along which received electromagnetic waves will travel of between 5 μm and 80 μm. Optionally the first length may vary between 15 μm and 20 μm and/or the second length may vary between 35 μm and 50 μm.

One of the M optical modulators may have a respective waveguide width substantially perpendicular to the direction in which electromagnetic waves are conveyed of between 450 nm and 1100 nm. Optionally the waveguide widths may be between 650 nm and 760 nm or 700 nm and 800 nm.

The optoelectronic device may have: a first transmittance in a first transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states; a second transmittance in a second transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states; and the first transmittance may be one half of the second transmittance. For example. If the first transmittance was ⅓ A, where A is 100% transmittance, then the second transmittance may be equal to ⅔A.

The device may further comprise a heater, such that the M optical modulators are tuneable with respect to wavelength.

In a first transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, all of the M optical modulators may have applied to them a control voltage equal to the first voltage; and in a second transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, all of the M optical modulators have applied to them a control voltage equal to the second voltage.

M may be equal to 2, N may equal 4, M may equal 2, and k may equal 3. In a first transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: a first optical modulator of the 2 optical modulators has maximum transmittance; and a second optical modulator of the 2 optical modulators has maximum transmittance; in a second transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: the first optical modulator has a first transmittance, the first transmittance being less than maximum transmittance; and the second optical modulator has maximum transmittance; in a third transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: the first optical modulator has maximum transmittance; and the second optical modulator has a second transmittance, the second transmittance being less than the first transmittance; and in a fourth transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: the first optical modulator has a third transmittance, the third transmittance being less than the first transmittance; and the second optical modulator has the second transmittance. In the method, when neither modulator is used to modulate incoming light, the maximum transmittance output of the optoelectronic device may correspond, according to the IEEE P802.3bs/D1.4 Ethernet standard draft, to the “3” level of a PAM-N modulated signal representing the Gray code of the two bits {0,0}; when only the first optical modulator is used (i.e., has a transmittance less than its respective maximum transmittance), the modulated output of the optoelectronic device may correspond to the “2” level of a PAM-N modulated signal representing the Gray code of {0,1}; when only the second optical modulator is used the modulated output of the optoelectronic device may correspond to the “1” level a PAM-N modulated signal representing the Gray code of {11}; and when both the first optical modulator and second optical modulator are used the modulated output of the optoelectronic device may correspond to the “0” level of a PAM-N modulated signal representing the Gray code of {10}.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an eye diagram showing the modulation states of a PAM-4 modulated signal;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an optoelectronic device capable of PAM-4 modulation;

FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic of the device of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically show variant waveguide ridge structures;

FIG. 5 schematically shows a further variant waveguide ridge structures;

FIG. 6 shows a variant waveguide ridge structure;

FIG. 7 shows an example of an input or output waveguide;

FIG. 8 shows a variant waveguide ridge structure;

FIG. 9 shows a further variant waveguide ridge structure;

FIG. 10 shows a further variant waveguide ridge structure;

FIG. 11 shows a variant optoelectronic device capable of PAM-4 modulation;

FIGS. 12A and 12B show further variant optoelectronic devices;

FIGS. 13A and 13B show further variant optoelectronic devices;

FIGS. 14A and 14B show further variant optoelectronic devices;

FIG. 15 shows a further variant optoelectronic device;

FIG. 16 shows an optoelectronic device according to FIG. 2 including a heater;

FIGS. 17A and 17B show simulation results for a first optoelectronic device;

FIGS. 18A and 18B show simulation results for a second optoelectronic device;

FIG. 19 shows a variant optoelectronic device;

FIG. 20 shows a further variant optoelectronic device; and

FIG. 21 shows a further variant optoelectronic device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 2 shows, schematically, an optoelectronic device capable of PAM-4 modulation. Electromagnetic waves 101 may be presented to an input waveguide 102 at a first end of the device. The waves are guided from the input waveguide, through a tapered region 103 and into the first optical modulator 104. as the optical modulator may be an electro-optical modulator (EOM) in that it may utilize an electro-optical effect (for example, the Franz-Keldysh effect if the electro-optical modulator was an electro-absorption modulator). The first optical modulator has an associated length L₁ 105 along which the waves are guided, as well as an associated waveguide width W₁ 106 which is substantially perpendicular to the length. The first optical modulator is operable, via electrodes 107, to operate in various transmittance states, by applying to this and each optical modulator a respective control voltage selected from three different control voltages (e.g., 0 V, 1.4 V, and 2 V, as shown in the list below). For example, the optical modulator may be operable in either a maximum transmittance state or in a state with less than maximum transmittance, depending on the desired output of the device. In the examples where the optical modulator is an electro-absorption modulator, the optical modulator may be operated in either (i) a transmittance state of maximum transmittance or (ii) a transmittance state of less than maximum transmittance. By switching between two or more such transmittance states, the optical modulator may modulate the light propagating through the device, where “modulating” the light propagating through the device means imposing a time-varying attenuation on light transmitted through the device. The electrodes may be operable in three states for the first optical modulator, or in two states (for the second optical modulator), each state corresponding to a control voltage. For example, the optical modulators may have applied to them the control voltages listed below, to produce the four PAM-4 levels:

-   -   Level 3: ER4=0 dB: V1=0V, V2=0V     -   Level 2: ER3=1.05 dB: V1=1.4V, V2=0V     -   Level 1: ER2=2.44 dB: V1=0V, V2=2V     -   Level 0: ER1=4.5 dB: V1=2V, V2=2V.         In the list above, ER (e.g., ER1, ER2, etc.) is the respective         extinction ratio of the optoelectronic device (and the         transmittance is the opposite, in dB, e.g., an extinction ratio         of 2.44 dB corresponds to a transmittance of −2.44 dB). In an         alternate embodiment, Level 2 is produced using V1=1V and V2=1V.         Each optical modulator may have maximum transmittance when the         applied control voltage is 0V, and reduced transmittance for         higher control voltages. As used herein, an “optical modulator”         is an optical element with electrically controlled optical         transmittance, such as an electro-absorption modulator (EAM) as         discussed above.

The waves are then guided into a first end of an intermediate waveguide 108, which has a taper so as to match the waveguide width of a second optical modulator 109 disposed at the opposing end. The waveguide width may affect the degree to which light is attenuated by any given optical modulator. The intermediate waveguide 108 can be formed of either undoped Si or undoped SiGe and may have a length of between 0.5 μm and 10 μm or 1 μm and 2 μm. The second optical modulator has an associated length L₂ 110 along which the waves are guided, as well as an associated waveguide width W₂ 111 which is substantially perpendicular to the length. The length and waveguide width of the second optical modulator is different to the length and waveguide width of the first optical modulator. In this example, this allows the first and second optical modulators to operate in different transmittance states as the length and width of the optical modulators is a factor in determining the degree to which electromagnetic waves are attenuated by the optical modulator. As with the first optical modulator, the second optical modulator is controllable by an electrode 112. Table 1 below show indicative values for the length and waveguide widths of the optical modulator as well as the length of the intermediate waveguide:

TABLE 1 Base design Parameter value Range L₁ 15-20 [μm] 5-50 [μm] L₂ 35-50 [μm] 5-80 [μm] d₁ 1-2 [μm] 0.5-10 [μm] W₁ 650-750 [nm] 450-1100 [nm] W₂ 700-800 [nm] 450-1100 [nm]

The waves are then guided into an output waveguide 113, and exit the device. In the lower-right corner of FIG. 2 an example 115 of transmittance states is shown indicating the optical power output corresponding to various transmittance states of the device. Level 4 corresponds to maximum transmittance when both optical modulators have zero control voltages (i.e. 0 V and 0 V) applied to them.

Level 3 and 2 correspond to the cases where a non-zero control voltage is applied to only one optical modulator while the other has 0 V applied to it, and finally level 1 corresponds to both the first and second optical modulators having non-zero control voltage applied to them. By design all of the 4 optical output power levels are equally spaced.

FIG. 3 shows in more detail the device 200 shown in FIG. 2. In this example, the input waveguide 201 is formed of Si and connects via tapered region 202 with a waveguide ridge comprising SiGe having width w₁ 209. The waveguide ridge could instead comprise any one or more of Ge, SiGeSn, or GeSn. The waveguide ridge has a lightly doped region of a first species 204, and adjacent to this, in a slab portion, is a heavily doped region 205 of the same species. Opposing this in the width direction, and again present in the ridge waveguide, is a lightly doped region of a second species 206 which is adjacent to, in the slab portion, a heavily doped region 207 of the same second species. The heavily doped regions 205, 207 are connected to respective electrodes 210 a and 210 b. The lightly doped regions have a length L₁ 208 which corresponds to the length of the first optical modulator.

Adjacent to a distal end of both of the first optical modulator's lightly doped regions is an intermediate waveguide 211 which can be formed of either undoped SiGe or undoped Si. As the second optical modulator 213 has a different waveguide width 219 to the first optical modulator 203, the intermediate waveguide acts to taper from the first width to the second width. Therefore, the waves are guided from the first optical modulator, through the intermediate waveguide and into the second optical modulator.

The second optical modulator 203, like the first optical modulator has lightly and heavily doped regions. Innermost, and within a waveguide ridge of the second optical modulator, is a region 214 lightly doped with a first species and a region 216 lightly doped with a second species. These regions oppose each other in the width direction. Adjacent to each lightly doped region, and within a slab, are respective heavily doped regions 215 and 217. The region 215 is heavily doped with the same species of dopant as lightly doped region 214, and region 217 is heavily doped with the same species of dopant as lightly doped region 216.

At a distal end of the second optical modulator 203 to the intermediate waveguide 211 is an output waveguide 222. The output waveguide has a tapered region 221, which tapers from the waveguide width w₂ 219 of the second optical modulator to a second width.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show variant waveguide ridge structures that could be used in either optical modulator. Each is formed of a Si slab which provides a slab layer. In the example shown in FIG. 4A the Si slab has heavily doped regions 302 and 303 which are doped with a different polarity dopant e.g. N++ and P++ or P++ and N++ respectively. The slab has been etched to provide a ridge portion of Si, and the heavily doped regions partially extend along this ridge into regions 307 and 308. On top of the ridge portion of Si is a SiGe (or any other optically active material) ridge 304, which has been lightly doped in regions 305 and 306. The dopant in region 305 has the same polarity as the dopant in region 302, but its concentration is reduced in comparison. Similarly, the dopant in region 306 has the same polarity as the dopant in region 303 but its concentration is also reduced in comparison.

FIG. 4A is annotated with various dimensions. These include h_(wg)—the total height of the ridge waveguide; h₂—the height of the slab; h₃—the height along which the heavily doped regions extend; d_(n)—the depth into the sidewall of the ridge that the first dopant penetrates; d_(p)—the depth into the sidewall ridge that the second dopant penetrates; d_(np)—the depth into the sidewall that the heavily doped first dopant penetrates; and d_(pp) the depth into the sidewall that the heavily doped second doped penetrates. h_(wg) may have a value of around 3 μm (+/−5%).

The tolerances of the values are shown in table 2 below, and table 3 indicates example dopant ranges for example dopants:

TABLE 2 Tolerance Dimension [nm] h_(wg) 100-800 h₂ 100-400 h₃  0-400 d_(np)  50-300 d_(pp)  50-300 d_(p)  50-300 d_(n)  50-300

TABLE 3 Doping type Doping range [cm⁻³] N 1 × 10¹⁵ to 1 × 10²⁰ P 1 × 10¹⁵ to 1 × 10²⁰ N++ 1 × 10¹⁸ to 1 × 10²⁰ P++ 1 × 10¹⁸ to 1 × 10²⁰

A variant ridge waveguide structure is shown in FIG. 4B. In this example, the Si slab layer 301 has a SiGe layer 304 immediately on top. The SiGe layer is doped to produce the heavily doped regions 302 303 as well as the lightly doped regions 305 306. The lightly doped regions are, again, present in a ridge 304 of the ridge waveguide structure. In this example, the heavily doped regions do not extend up the ridge of the waveguide. Of course, the features described in relation to the first variant (FIG. 4A) are applicable where appropriate to the second variant. For example, a SiGe layer 304 could be provided atop the Si slab layer 301 in the first variant, where the heavily doped regions partially extend up the side of the ridge 304 of the waveguide.

FIG. 5 shows a further variant ridge waveguide structure. FIG. 5 is an example where the heavily doped regions (N++ and P++) are provided in the Si slab layer, and do not extend into the SiGe ridge.

FIG. 6 shows a variant ridge waveguide structure. This structure shares a number of features with previously discussed ridge waveguide structures, and so like reference numerals are used for like parts. The structure in FIG. 6 differs from that in FIG. 4A in that a Si, SiGe, or SiGeSn layer 601 is provided between the ridge 304 and each of the lightly doped regions 305 and 306. This layer 601 should have a lower refractive index with respect to the material making up the ridge 304. The distances d_(np2) and d_(pp2) indicate, respectively, the depth into the slab 301 that the heavily doped regions are doped. The tolerance on this measurement should be between 50 and 300 nm.

FIG. 7 shows an example of an input or output Si passive waveguide 201 or 222. The input and output waveguides respectively comprise a slab portion 801 having height h₁ and a ridge portion 802, the ridge and slab having a combined height of h_(wg). h₁ should have a tolerance of between 100-800 nm, and h_(wg) should have a value of around 3 μm (+ or −5%).

FIG. 8 shows a variant ridge waveguide structure. Here, instead of the doped regions extending vertically up sidewalls of the ridge waveguide, they are disposed in upper and lower doped regions of the waveguide ridge. As can be seen in FIG. 8, an N doped region extends across the top of the central portion of the waveguide, and is connected to an N+ doped region which is in turn connected to an electrode contact. Similarly, a P doped region extends below the central portion of the waveguide, and is connected to a P+ doped region which is in turn connected to a separate electrode contact. The lower doped region exhibits a multilayer structure. The multilayer structure comprises a first doped region (i.e. a first layer) formed from an implanted doped portion of the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) located directly below the optically active region (OAR). A second doped zone (i.e. a second layer) is formed by implanting dopants into the OAR itself at a region of the OAR located directly above the first doped zone. The second doped zone has a dopant concentration greater than that of the first doped zone. The lower surface of the second doped zone forms the interface between the first doped zone and the second doped zone. The upper surface of the second doped zone forms the contact surface for a corresponding electrode.

As discussed above, the first doped zone of the lower doped region is P doped, and the second doped zone of the lower doped region is P+ doped (where

P+ denotes a P doped region with a greater concentration of P dopants). The upper doped region contains an upper doped region in the form of an N doped region which comprises: an upper N doped waveguide region extending across the upper surface of the OAR waveguide; a lateral N doped region which extends outwards away from the waveguide; and a connecting N doped region which extends vertically along a side of the waveguide to connect the upper N doped waveguide region with the upper lateral N doped region. The connecting N doped region, the upper later N doped region, and the upper N doped waveguide region form a single contiguous N doped region. The OAR comprises the waveguide ridge and slab regions at either side of the waveguide so that the OAR has an inverted T-shape cross section (the cross section taken transverse to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide). The P+, N, and N+ doped regions are all located within the OAR material, whilst the N region extends along the top and the side of the waveguide ridge as well as the slab, the N+ and P+ regions are only found within the slab sections of the OAR, either side of the waveguide ridge.

In other embodiments (not shown) the P and N doped regions are reversed so that the lower doped region contains an N doped zone and an N+ doped zone so that the upper doped region is P doped and P+ doped.

In this embodiment, an extra step of etching a region of the OAR (e.g. SiGe) has occurred before that region is implanted to form a P+ doped region. This etching process creates a P+ region of the OAR which has a reduced height as compared to the slab within which it is located.

By etching the slab region of the OAR before the P+ doping takes place, it is easier to ensure that the P and P+ doped regions are connected; that is to say that the P+ dopant region (the second zone of the multilayer lower doped portion) reaches through the thickness of the slab from the contact surface at the top surface to the P doped region at the bottom surface. The thickness of the second zone of the multilayer lower doped portion is 0 μm-0.2 μm. Where the thickness has a value of 0 μm, this should be understood to mean that the P+ dopant region is completely inside of the P region.

In FIG. 9, an annealing process has taken place which causes the P doped region to diffuse into the central portion of the waveguide from below by a distance of between 50-200 nm. This “migrated” area caused by the dopant diffusion can be beneficial in reducing the series resistance and increasing the bandwidth of the optical modulator. The diffusion can occur in any of the embodiments described herein.

FIG. 10, in contrast to FIG. 9, shows a device where the P doped region has diffused from a side of the central portion of the waveguide horizontally into the central portion of the OAR waveguide. Furthermore, this device is based on an 800 nm cross-section, whereas some previous examples are based on a 3 μm cross-section. Both forms of devices are suitable for implementing the PAM-N modulation scheme as discussed.

FIG. 11 shows a variant optoelectronic device comprising three optical modulators, a first 701, second 702, and third 703. Each of the optical modulators has a different length as can be seen. In this example L₁>L₂>L₃ (where L_(n) corresponds to the n^(th) optical modulator). As will be understood, the length of an optical modulator correlates with the magnitude of the modulation it will impart on electromagnetic waves being guided through it. Therefore, in this example, the first optical modulator will impart a greater magnitude of modulation to the electromagnetic waves than both the second or third.

Thus, in some embodiments, pairs of optical modulators can be operated substantially simultaneously in order to provide further tuning between the modulation outputs of the device, to give an additional degree of freedom for the device driver to drive PAM-4 modulation. In other embodiments, the three levels can be controlled independently in such a manner as to avoid relying upon the product of two optical modulator extinction settings (e.g., to produce PAM-4, three optical modulators may be used, and in each of the four transmittance states corresponding to the four levels of PAM-4, at least two of the three optical modulators may have 0 V applied to them as the control voltage). The following table, Table 4, gives an example of where the three levels can be controlled independently:

TABLE 4 1^(st) 2^(nd) 3^(rd) PAM-4 Optical Optical Optical Level Modulator Modulator Modulator 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

The following table, Table 5, gives an example where three optical modulators can be operated to produce PAM-4 modulated outputs (where 1 indicates that the optical modulator is being used to attenuate the electromagnetic waves, and 0 indicates that it is not). In one embodiment, each value of 0 listed below an optical modulator in Table 4 corresponds to applying a respective control voltage equal to a first voltage (e.g., 0 V) to the optical modulator, and each value of 1 corresponds to applying a respective control voltage equal to a second voltage (e.g., 2 V) to the optical modulator. A cascade of three modulators configured to operate in this manner may be driven by a particularly simple drive circuit having three outputs and including, for example, (i) a first set of three transistors, each of which, when turned on, connects a respective output, of the three outputs, to ground (i.e., 0 V), and (ii) a second set of three transistors, each of which, when turned on, connects a respective output, of the three outputs, to a power supply voltage (e.g., 2 V).

TABLE 5 1^(st) 2^(nd) 3^(rd) PAM-4 Optical Optical Optical Level Modulator Modulator Modulator 3 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1

A further example is shown in Table 6, where the third optical modulator is operated simultaneously with the second optical modulator (in one embodiment, for example, V₁=0 V, V₂=1.4 V, and V₃=2):

TABLE 6 1^(st) 2^(nd) 3^(rd) PAM-4 Optical Optical Optical Level Modulator Modulator Modulator 3 V₁ V₁ V₁ 2 V₂ V₁ V₁ 1 V₁ V₃ V₃ 0 V₃ V₃ V₃

Alternatively, the third optical modulator could be operated independently of the first and second optical modulator i.e. it could be used to generate a PAM level of modulation without necessarily being used in conjunction with another optical modulator. Therefore, a PAM-8 level modulation scheme would be possible. In some embodiments another modulation scheme, referred to herein as “N-level modulation”, may be implemented using Log₂(N) modulators. Unlike PAM-N modulation (in which the N levels are equally spaced), N-level modulation may have optical power levels that are not equally spaced (they may be logarithmically spaced, for example). 8-level modulation, for example, may be generated using three cascaded modulators, each operated in one of two respective transmittance states, as shown in Table 7:

TABLE 7 1^(st) 2^(nd) 3^(rd) PAM-8 Optical Optical Optical Level Modulator Modulator Modulator 7 0 0 0 6 1 0 0 5 0 1 0 4 0 0 1 3 1 1 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1

As will be recognised, an N-level modulation scheme is possible by providing at least M optical modulators where M=Log₂(N). Said another way, by providing M optical modulators, an N-level modulation scheme is possible with 2^(M) levels.

In the example shown in FIG. 11, the three optical modulators 701, 702, and 703 are provided within a single SiGe ridge waveguide. This can reduce the number of interfaces where the electromagnetic waves must move from a material of one refractive index to another (this having associated reflection losses). However, this is not necessary. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, it is possible to provide Si waveguides between each of the optical modulators. This may aid manufacturability and have improved performance since intermediate Si waveguides will have less loss.

For example, as is shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the lengths and/or widths of the optical modulators within a device according to embodiments of the invention may differ markedly. In the example in FIG. 13A, the length L₁ and width W₁ of the first optical modulator is much reduced in comparison to the length L₂ and width W₂ of the second optical modulator. However, the length and width can be varied in order to tune the optical modulators in accordance with a particular device requirement. In the example in FIG. 13B, the length L₁ of the first optical modulator is markedly greater than the length L₂ of the second optical modulator, however the first optical modulator's width W₁ is much reduced in comparison to the width W₂ of the second optical modulator.

The optical modulators may be arranged in order of active length, the longest being first—i.e. exposed first to the input light. This applies to all of the PAM-N modulators of embodiments of the invention.

Another feature to note in FIGS. 13A and 13B is that the intermediate waveguides are (i) formed of bulk Si, and (ii) taper from a first width corresponding to the first optical modulator to an output width (the width of the input and output waveguides) and then from the output width to a second width corresponding to the second optical modulator. FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate similar principles to FIGS. 14A and 14B, however the intermediate waveguides (between the first and second optical modulators) are formed of undoped SiGe and taper directly from the first width to the second width.

The above figures illustrate that the particular parameters of any given optical modulator may vary (or indeed be tuned) whilst still allowing the optoelectronic device comprising said optical modulators to perform PAM-4 modulation.

Another variant configuration is illustrated in FIG. 15. Previously hereto, each optical modulator has been separated by an electrical insulator for example undoped SiGe or bulk Si. However, it is possible to dope the regions of the ridge waveguide such that dopants of opposing polarity are immediately adjacent. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, a heavily doped region 205 of a first species of dopant is immediately adjacent to a heavily doped region 217 of a second species of dopant. The first and second species of dopant are of opposing polarities for example N++ and P++ or P++ and N++ respectively. This is also true for the lightly doped regions 204 and 216.

By doing so, it is possible to reduce the overall length of the optoelectronic device (and so may also reduce the transmission losses associated with the device) whilst retaining the first and second optical modulators which facilitate PAM-4 modulation.

FIG. 16 illustrates a variant optoelectronic device 100 which further includes a heater 900 disposed near to the first and second optical modulators. The heater can be used to tune the optical modulators (and therefore the optoelectronic device) with respect to wavelength. The heater can be formed form either doped SiGe, Si, or a metal. The heater is connected to electrodes which allow it to be controlled by the device.

FIGS. 17A and 17B show, respectively, plots of extinction ratio (measured in dB) and Δα/α against wavelength for a simulated optoelectronic device. α is the absorption coefficient of the absorbing material (e.g. Ge, SiGe, SiGeSn, or GeSn), Δα represents the change in this absorption coefficient as a function of wavelength from when non-zero voltage is applied to the optical modulator to when zero voltage is applied, and Δα/α is the normalised change in absorption coefficient as a function of wavelength, and the optoelectronic device has the following parameters: L₁=15 μm, L₂=40 μm, W₁=800 nm, and W₂=700 nm.

In FIG. 17A, the dotted lines 402, 404, and 406 correspond to minimum target extinction ratios for the PAM-4 levels 1, 2, and 3 respectively. The solid lines 401, 403, and 405 correspond with the extinction ratio of the optoelectronic device when operated in the respective PAM-4 levels: 1, 2, and 3. The solid line 407 indicates the insertion loss in dB associated with the device.

In FIG. 17B, the solid lines 401, 403 and 405 indicate the normalised change in a.

FIGS. 18A and 18B show plots similar to FIGS. 17A and 17B but for a variant optoelectronic device. Here the device had the following parameters: L₁=15 μm, L₂=45 μm, and W₁=W₂=700 nm. Also, indicated in FIG. 18A is the optimum working wavelength bandwidth 408 which is between 1526 nm and 1559 nm.

These plots show that an optoelectronic device formed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention is operable to provide PAM-4 modulated outputs.

FIG. 20 shows a variant device which differs from previous devices by having angled interfaces. The devices share a number of features with previous devices, and so like features are indicated by like reference numerals. The input waveguide 104 can be described as guiding light along a central axis 1601. The axis is at an angle ϕ₁ from a line 1602 which is parallel with a longitudinal direction of the device. Therefore, the input waveguide includes an angled interface 2101. The interface 2101 itself may be at an angle α1 relative to the line 1602 which is not equal to 90°. Similarly, an interface 2104 between the second optical modulator 213 and the output waveguide 222 may be at an angle β2 which is not equal to 90°. As with the input waveguide 104, the output waveguide 222 may also guide light along an axis 1603, and this axis 1603 may be at an angle γ2 to the line 1602.

FIGS. 21 and 22 show variant devices which, like FIGS. 19 and 20, differs from the previous devices by having angled interfaces. The devices share a number of features with the previous devices, and so like features are indicated by like reference numerals. Taking the device shown in FIG. 21 first, the input waveguide 201 can be described as guiding light along a central axis 1601. The axis is at an angle ϕ₁ from a line 1602 which is parallel with a guiding direction of the first and second optical modulators. Therefore, the input waveguide includes an angled interface 2101.

In the example shown in FIG. 21, there is an intermediate waveguide 211 which is formed of a different material to the first 203 and second 213 optical modulator. Therefore, there is a change in refractive index. In order to reduce back reflections caused by this change in refractive index: the intermediate waveguide 211 may extend at an angle γ₁ relative to the longitudinal direction 1602. Finally, the output waveguide 222 extends at an angle γ₂ relative to the longitudinal direction 1602 (which is parallel to the guiding directions in the first and second optical modulators). The angle γ₂ can be chosen to help mitigate back reflections which may occur as light moves from the second optical modulator 213 into the output waveguide 222.

Generally, the angles obey the following: −14°<ϕ₁,ϕ₂<14° −14°γ₁,γ₂<14°

In some cases, α₁=β₁, α₂=β₂, |γ₁|=|γ₂| and |ϕ₁|=|ϕ₂|.

The interface 2101 between the input waveguide 201 and the first optical modulator 203 may be at an angle not equal to 90° relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. As shown in FIG. 21, the interface 2101 may be at an angle α₁ which may be less than 90° relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. Similarly, the interface 2102 between the first optical modulator 203 and the intermediate waveguide 211 may be at an angle not equal to 90° relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. As shown in FIG. 21, the interface 2102 may be at an angle β₁ which may be less than 90° relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator.

The intermediate waveguide 211 may project from the first optical modulator 203 at an angle γ₁ relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. This means the intermediate waveguide 211 may guide light at an angle γ₁ relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. The guiding direction of the intermediate waveguide 211 may also lie at an angle ϕ₂ to the guiding direction of the second optical modulator 213.

The interface 2103 between the intermediate waveguide 211 and the second optical modulator 213 may be at an angle which is not equal to 90° relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. As shown in FIG. 21, the interface 2103 may be at an angle α₂ relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator which may be greater than 90°. Similarly, the interface 2104 between the second optical modulator and the output waveguide 222 may be at an angle not equal to 90° relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator. As shown in FIG. 21, the interface 2104 may be at an angle β₂ relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator which may be greater than 90°.

The output waveguide 222 may project from the second optical modulator 213 at an angle γ₂ relative to the guiding direction of the first optical modulator.

In a typical example of the device shown in FIG. 21: α₁=80°; β₁=80°; ϕ₁=3°; γ₁=3°; α₂=100°=90+(90−α₁); β₂=100°=α₂; ϕ_(2z)=−3°=−ϕ₁; and γ₂=−3°=−γ₁.

In general however:

α₁ = 89° to 50° α₂ = 91° to 130° β₁ = 89° to 50° β₂ = 91° to 130° ϕ₁ = 0.3° to 14° ϕ₂ = −0.3° to −14° γ₁ = 0.3° to 14° γ₂ = −0.3° to −14°

and, in some embodiments:

α₁ = 89° to 80° α₂ = 91° to 100° β₁ = 89° to 80° β₂ = 91° to 100° ϕ₁ = 0.3° to 3° ϕ₂ = −0.3° to −3° γ₁ = 0.3° to 3° γ₂ = −0.3° to −3°

The configuration of the device shown in FIG. 22 is the same as that shown in FIG. 21 insofar as the input waveguide and first optical modulator are concerned. However, the intermediate waveguide 2201 of the device shown in FIG. 22 is not linear as shown previously. Instead, the intermediate waveguide bends as the second optical modulator 213 has been rotated by 180° relative to the second optical modulator shown in FIG. 21. Therefore light guided by the intermediate waveguide 2201 of FIG. 22 follows substantially curved path relative to the intermediate waveguide 211 of FIG. 21.

In a typical example of the device shown in FIG. 22: α₁=80°; β₁=80°; ϕ₁=3°; γ₁=3°; α₂=80°=α₂; β₂=80°=α₂; β₂=3°=ϕ₁; and γ₂=3°=γ₁.

In general however:

α₁ = 89° to 50° α₂ = 89° to 50° β₁ = 89° to 50° β₂ = 89° to 50° ϕ₁ = 0.3° to 14° ϕ₂ = 0.3° to 14° γ₁ = 0.3° to 14° γ₂ = 0.3° to 14° and, in some embodiments:

α₁ = 89° to 80° α₂ = 89° to 80° β₁ = 89° to 80° β₂ = 89° to 80° ϕ₁ = 0.3° to 3° ϕ₂ = 0.3° to 3° γ₁ = 0.3° to 3° γ₂ = 0.3° to 3°

The angled interfaces in the example shown in FIG. 22 may be used instead of those shown in FIG. 21, as the angled interfaces 2102 and 2103 are non-parallel to each other and so may supress resonator or Fabry-Perot cavity effects within the intermediate waveguide.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

All references referred to above are hereby incorporated by reference.

LIST OF FEATURES

-   100 Optoelectronic device -   101 Input light -   102, 201 Input waveguide -   103, 202 Tapered region of input waveguide -   104, 203 First optical modulator -   105, 208 Length—L₁—of first optical modulator -   106, 209 Waveguide width—W₁—of first optical modulator -   107, 112 Electrodes -   210 a, 210 b Electrodes -   220 a, 220 b Electrodes -   108, 211 Intermediate waveguide -   109, 213 Second optical modulator -   110, 218 Length—L₂—of the second optical modulator -   111, 219 Waveguide width—W₂—of the second optical modulator -   113, 222 Output waveguide -   114 Modulated light -   115 Example levels of optical modulator -   221 Tapered region of output waveguide -   204, 214 Lightly doped region (first species) -   205, 215 Heavily doped region (first species) -   206, 216 Lightly doped region (second species) -   207, 217 Heavily doped region (second species) -   301 Si slab -   302 Heavily doped region (first species) -   303 Heavily doped region (second species) -   304 SiGe ridge waveguide -   305 Lightly doped region (first species) -   306 Lightly doped region (second species -   307 Heavily doped region in ridge (first species) -   308 Heavily doped region in ridge (second species) -   401,403,405 First, second, and third optical modulator extinction     ratios -   402,404,406 Minimum target optical modulator extinction ratio -   407 Insertion loss -   701 First optical modulator -   702 Second optical modulator -   703 Third optical modulator -   900 Heater -   1601 Guiding direction of input waveguide -   1602 Longitudinal axis of the device/guiding direction of the     electro-absorption modulator -   2101 Input waveguide-optical modulator interface -   2102 Optical modulator-intermediate waveguide interface -   2103 Intermediate waveguide-optical modulator interface -   2104 Optical modulator-output waveguide interface -   2201 Curved intermediate waveguide 

What is claimed is:
 1. An optoelectronic device operable to provide a PAM-N modulated output, the device comprising: M optical modulators, M being an integer greater than 1, the M optical modulators being arranged in a cascade, the device being configured to operate in N distinct transmittance states, as a PAM-N modulator, wherein, in each transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, each of the M optical modulators has applied to it a respective control voltage equal to one of: a first voltage or a second voltage, the optoelectronic device further comprising an intermediate waveguide composed of a first material, disposed between a first optical modulator of the M optical modulators and a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators, and operable to convey electromagnetic waves from the first optical modulator to the second optical modulator, wherein: the first optical modulator is an electro-absorption modulator comprising a waveguide ridge composed of a second material different from the first material, the waveguide ridge of the first optical modulator having a doped sidewall, a boundary surface between the intermediate waveguide and the waveguide ridge of the first optical modulator being at an angle, different from 90 degrees, relative to a longitudinal direction of the first optical modulator; and the second optical modulator is an electro-absorption modulator comprising a waveguide ridge composed of the second material, a boundary surface between the intermediate waveguide and the waveguide ridge of the second optical modulator being at an angle, different from 90 degrees, relative to a longitudinal direction of the second optical modulator.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein M=N−1.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein: N=4; M=3; the first voltage is between 0 V and 0.2 V; and the second voltage is between 1.8 V and 2.0 V.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein an optical modulator of the M optical modulators is an electro-absorption modulator.
 5. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate waveguide, disposed between a first optical modulator of the M optical modulators and a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators, and operable to convey electromagnetic waves from the first optical modulator to the second optical modulator.
 6. The optoelectronic device of claim 5, wherein a first interface between the first optical modulator and the intermediate waveguide is at a first angle relative to a guiding direction of the intermediate waveguide, and a second interface between the second optical modulator and the intermediate waveguide is at an opposite angle to the first angle, wherein the first angle is not a right angle and the opposite angle is not a right angle.
 7. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the M optical modulators are optically active regions of a ridge waveguide.
 8. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein: the optoelectronic device has a first transmittance in a first transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states; the optoelectronic device has a second transmittance in a second transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states; and the first transmittance is one half of the second transmittance.
 9. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, further comprising a heater, such that the M optical modulators are tuneable with respect to wavelength.
 10. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein: in a first transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, all of the M optical modulators have applied to them a control voltage equal to the first voltage; and in a second transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, all of the M optical modulators have applied to them a control voltage equal to the second voltage.
 11. The optoelectronic device of claim 1, wherein M=2.
 12. An optoelectronic device operable to provide a PAM-N modulated output, the device comprising: M optical modulators, M being an integer greater than 1, the M optical modulators being arranged in a cascade, the device being configured to operate in N distinct transmittance states, as a PAM-N modulator, wherein, in each transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, each of the M optical modulators has applied to it a respective control voltage equal to one of k different control voltages, wherein k is an integer greater than 1 and less than N, the optoelectronic device further comprising an intermediate waveguide composed of a first material, disposed between a first optical modulator of the M optical modulators and a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators, and operable to convey electromagnetic waves from the first optical modulator to the second optical modulator, wherein: the first optical modulator is an electro-absorption modulator comprising a waveguide ridge composed of a second material different from the first material, the waveguide ridge of the first optical modulator having a doped sidewall, a boundary surface between the intermediate waveguide and the waveguide ridge of the first optical modulator being at an angle, different from 90 degrees, relative to a longitudinal direction of the first optical modulator; and the second optical modulator is an electro-absorption modulator comprising a waveguide ridge composed of the second material, a boundary surface between the intermediate waveguide and the waveguide ridge of the second optical modulator being at an angle, different from 90 degrees, relative to a longitudinal direction of the second optical modulator.
 13. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, wherein the M optical modulators are electro-absorption modulators.
 14. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, wherein: N=4; M=2; and k=3.
 15. The optoelectronic device of claim 14, wherein: in a first transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: a first optical modulator of the 2 optical modulators has maximum transmittance; and a second optical modulator of the 2 optical modulators has maximum transmittance; in a second transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: the first optical modulator has a first transmittance, the first transmittance being less than maximum transmittance; and the second optical modulator has maximum transmittance; in a third transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: the first optical modulator has maximum transmittance; and the second optical modulator has a second transmittance, the second transmittance being less than the first transmittance; and in a fourth transmittance state of the 4 distinct transmittance states: the first optical modulator has a third transmittance, the third transmittance being less than the first transmittance; and the second optical modulator has the second transmittance.
 16. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, further comprising an intermediate waveguide, disposed between a first optical modulator of the M optical modulators and a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators and operable to convey electromagnetic waves from the first optical modulator to the second optical modulator.
 17. The optoelectronic device of claim 16, wherein a first interface between the first optical modulator and the intermediate waveguide is at a first angle relative to a guiding direction of the intermediate waveguide, and a second interface between the second optical modulator and the intermediate waveguide is at an opposite angle to the first angle, wherein the first angle is not a right angle and the opposite angle is not a right angle.
 18. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, wherein a first optical modulator of the M optical modulators and a second optical modulator of the M optical modulators are optically active regions of a ridge waveguide.
 19. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, wherein: the optoelectronic device has a first transmittance in a first transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states; the optoelectronic device has a second transmittance in a second transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states; and the first transmittance is one half of the second transmittance.
 20. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, further comprising a heater, such that an optical modulator of the M optical modulators is tuneable with respect to wavelength.
 21. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, wherein: in a first transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, all of the M optical modulators have applied to them a control voltage equal to a first voltage; and in a second transmittance state of the N distinct transmittance states, all of the M optical modulators have applied to them a control voltage equal to a second voltage.
 22. The optoelectronic device of claim 12, wherein M is greater than or equal to Log₂(N). 